Excavator Disc Slasher Help Needed .

[Iron Horse]

I'm wanting to build a slasher for my 23 ton excavator like the ones pictured . I'm waiting on a reply for some Quadco harvester teeth . I'm thinking Bisalloy 80 for the disc but i need help with finding a suitable bearing block (overhung load adaptor) to mount the disc on . I want something with a round flange with maybe 10-12 bolt holes . All the ones ive seen are a straight shaft and i'd be worried the disc could come off . How do i select the correct hydraulic motor ? I have 2 X 254 litres per minute of oil (2 X 67 US gallons per minute ) @ 320 BAR (4400psi) . How much of that can i use and still be able to slew etc ? How do i merge the twin pumps ? The Cummins 6BTA engine is 172 HP , i'm hoping to achieve around 140 HP at the cutter head . I was going to buy a Slashbuster but the cost is too high so this is my only option . Finding information about the Mason's is easier than finding info about these things .

[JDOFMEMI]

These folks may be able to help with the hydraulic end of it. http://www.rupeshydraulics.com/

That is if you can't find a local hydraulic shop with enough experience to do you.

I am not sure about the bearing you seek.

[australian pete]

that looks like an awesome slasher, what does the new one cost ?
i have a rayco T275 with a mower and stump grinding attachment, i purchased it at auction, rough condition, slowly having it repaired, i was thinking of putting a quick hitch on the stump grinder s i can use it on my 20 tonne excavator, it is a bit of a job taking the mower off the rayco and fitting the stump grinder, would be much easier with the quick hitch on the excavator, do you know if anyone has fitted a stump grinder to an excavator ?

[Bellboy]

You use that for cutting what? Brush and small trees I presume? It looks like one big weedhacker! Which excavator you intend using it with?

[Iron Horse]

JDOFMEMI , thank's for your trouble providing the link , i'll give it a go .

australian pete , a new one is $68K which is twice what i want to spend . I think that Rayco you bought is the one that was in the "Book of Dreams" for $165K , it was a little too rough around the edges to be worth that . As for the grinder on the digger , i think if your machine has the same sort of flow and pressure as the Rayco it would be ideal , but i think the Rayco would have a lot more of both .

Bellboy , i will fit it to my new Jonyang that is in the excavator thread .

The photo is of what is left after one of these things has had a feed .

[John C.]

Iron Horse,
I haven't messed with one of those for awhile but I believe you will have to size the rotor by weight first and then work on the diameter. The bigger diameter the more horsepower you need. You can probably figure it by looking at another unit working.

The first ones I worked on had gear motors and you can get about any flow and horsepower rating you want. Now days they are all piston motors. Gear motors are cheap but don't last very long because they don't like the shock loading. Piston motors will take the beating well. You also have to be careful about the speed you want the disk to turn. You can determine this by the motor selection and flow you take off the pumps.

We usually plumbed a divertor valve on each pump to deliver flow to the unit and still maintain enough oil to move the machine while its cutting. The pressure is usually around 2,000 PSI and the flow will be what you decide to get the RPM on the cutter. Remember the flow you get will depend on the pressure on the system. Your pumps probably start to destroke at around 2,000 PSI. I usually would not want to pull more than half your total flow. Half your flow at 2,000 PSI will require somewhere around 140 horsepower. A lot of time at that pull might be hard on your engine when using the swing or boom functions at the same time. A higher speed motor with lower flow might be what you have to look into.

You will also have to provide some guarding for the cab and house. Those things really pound the brush and send big chunks flying in almost all directions.

Good Luck!

[Iron Horse]

Thank's for that , and yes i'm working on the guarding at the moment . I want a 48" cutting swath and the Quadco teeth are 2" so the disc will need to be around an 1 1/8" thick , it will have a lot of inertia . Which it will need to help it but it may also be slow to get back up to speed . Ive seen a certain model run between 350 and 500 rpm's which shatters the stumps and retards regrowth . Ive seen faster ones which i'm sure there is a reason for but they cut cleanly and encourage regrowth . I'm hoping to come accross a hydraulic guru who can put all this info into a calculator and tell me i need part numbers such and such and you will have X amount of oil left to slew and boom . I wish i could bring myself to just borrow the money and buy one in a box , but i really don't think spending big money at the moment is the right thing to do , i have enough expensive garden ornaments allready and it's too big to paint white and mount my letter box on :D.

[australian pete]

iron horse, i advertised it for that price in the book of dreams, i was trying to sell and make a few bucks, no takers so i have decided to fix and work it, that slashbuster looks like it does a good job. liked the pic.

[australian pete]

iron horse, i had a look on the aussie website that sells them here, how do you think the slashbuster compares with an FAE excavator mounted forestry mower, i think the fae would do a neater job, is the slashbuster faster ? im guessing it is a lot stronger and would be better in tough conditions and could smash bigger timber than the fae, are there any slashbusters working in australia ?

[Iron Horse]

Sorry mate , i did'nt know it was your machine . A drum mulcher is neater and does not throw objects but are pretty slow at what they do . A disc slasher/mulcher will throw objects and leaves a rougher look but are really quick . A drum type mulcher can only cut a tree if the tree is small enough to bend over as the drum eats away at it as the body gets in the way . A disc can belly a tree on one side into about 1 1/2' and the same on the back side to fall a 3' tree . A disc has less moving parts and is cheaper to maintain . really if you are not around the public a disc would be best . Give Slashbuster videos a Google and see what one can do to a car , boat , and a house . The guys on the Gold Coast have one on the boat for a guy in OZ , it's the only one i have heard of here . Mine would have been the second but the cost is the same as a small house .

[qkoop]

Look for a koehring saw head off of a feller buncher, and just weld the holders for the teeth on the bottom.You can pick these up cheap know that logging is in the toilet.

[australian pete]

iron horse, i am mainly in clearing, have a horizontal grinder and aslo do some mowing with an old fae mower on an excavator, that slashbuster probably would not be suitable for most of our work as most of it is around town and generally customers are after a neat job, slashbuster would be good where appearance is not important, under power lines etc..am slowly fixing the rayco, took the mower off today to have the mill repaired, previous owner welded tips pn and it is messy and out of balance, a new mill from reyco is A$28,000, i can have it repaired for a lot less, rayco are very expensive with spares.

[Iron Horse]

australian pete , when i saw your Rayco for sale in the book i checked out the specs on the net and was going to offer you a deal myself . It's a small world . And yes , if you are mowing around the public and buildings etc a drum mulcher is best .

qcoop , it's funny you should say that . Qaudco have just sent me a picture of one of their hot saw blades for the same reason , $7700 US + freight , AUS$ , GST etc .

[australian pete]

what does the quadco do..

[Iron Horse]

Quadco make tree harvesting heads and also disc mulchers in the states .

[qkoop]

The koehring is heavier duty than the qaudco,we usually get about 8-10000 hours on them before we rebuild the bearings and drive motor.They turn at 2200 rpm if i remember correctly.Check some upcoming richie brothers in canada and i gaurentee you find a smokin deal on a good used one.

[Iron Horse]

Well , i still hav'nt done anything regarding a slasher/mulcher . I really need one now , i was in the middle of buying one off a Quadco dealer in OZ when our dollar crashed . Does anyone know where i can get one from at a good price as shipping makes it an exspensive exersize .